forty-five minutes, but my work is so interesting I’m anxious to get back to it.” Kylie turned to leave.
“She’ll take advantage of you if you don’t take all the time you’re allotted,” Marcus said.
“Don’t worry. I can take care of myself.” Marcus made an additional comment that Kylie didn’t hear as she entered the building. She decided that she’d listened to all the horror stories about her boss she cared to hear. One day was enough to solidify her decision to take lunch inside by herself from then on. From her limited knowledge of LJ Evans, Kylie knew the doctor would never allow any of those people to get close to her, and she resolved to break the mold and get to know who her boss was.
“I can’t believe that those people spoke about her that way,” she muttered to herself. “Who do they think they are? They don’t even know her. Jerks!”
Chapter Five
After eight days, Kylie had fallen into a suitable work routine that was not only satisfying but interesting beyond her wildest expectations. Her interaction with Dr. Evans was practically nonexistent. When she brought Kylie’s lunch to her, Dr. Evans would occasionally take the opportunity to give her some information about the particular object she was working on at the time. Other than that, LJ’s usual cool and distant personality stopped Kylie from trying to speak with her.
She recalled trying to engage LJ in conversation the day after eating outside with the other employees. As always, she was friendly and respectful when she asked where LJ had gone to school. LJ only shook her head before turning and walking away. After that, Kylie kept her replies to yes, no, and okay, keeping her focus on her job and not her boss. She finally accepted that LJ Evans was never going to be anything more than what she was—tight-lipped.
It was now Friday, and the week had gone by quickly now Kylie had found a rhythm to her work. While waiting to hear the familiar footsteps enter the room, she thought about the upcoming evening with her friends. While she was married, her friends had often asked her to go on a girls-only night out, but Ted always came up with a reason for her not to join them. Now that he was gone, she realized how much she’d given up, and the irritation she should have felt back then bubbled up now. “What a fool I was,” she mumbled.
“What did you say?”
Kylie looked up to see LJ’s blue eyes gazing at her in question. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
“Obviously.” LJ sat the now-familiar lunch sack on a stool before walking around the table. “Any problems?”
“Everything today seems straightforward.”
LJ picked up one of the artifacts and inspected it. “I see you made some progress.”
“I did. As you can see, that piece”—she pointed to on the one in LJ’s hand—“is a vase. It was so exciting when I put the last piece in place and found that it was all there. Does that happen often?”
“It depends on the site and whether it was looted or the elements and time took a toll. I remember one place where everything we found was in pristine condition.” LJ shrugged. “That is the exception rather than the rule.”
“That must have been so exciting for you.”
LJ bent slightly to look at the pottery. “There’s that glyph again.”
“Is it significant?”
“To the Wari’ it was. It is the Staff Deity, a god associated with the sun, which they worshiped. This one is holding a staff in each hand, which is normal for this figure. What isn’t normal is the sun above the image. The ones we’ve found have a sun around their heads. ” She raised her eyebrows. “I’ve never seen it depicted like that before.”
Kylie smiled at her. This was the first time LJ had had a meaningful conversation with her. “That is incredibly interesting. Should I expect to find the Staff Deity again?”
“Yes. They used it on their pottery and textiles.”
Kylie moved
“She’ll take advantage of you if you don’t take all the time you’re allotted,” Marcus said.
“Don’t worry. I can take care of myself.” Marcus made an additional comment that Kylie didn’t hear as she entered the building. She decided that she’d listened to all the horror stories about her boss she cared to hear. One day was enough to solidify her decision to take lunch inside by herself from then on. From her limited knowledge of LJ Evans, Kylie knew the doctor would never allow any of those people to get close to her, and she resolved to break the mold and get to know who her boss was.
“I can’t believe that those people spoke about her that way,” she muttered to herself. “Who do they think they are? They don’t even know her. Jerks!”
Chapter Five
After eight days, Kylie had fallen into a suitable work routine that was not only satisfying but interesting beyond her wildest expectations. Her interaction with Dr. Evans was practically nonexistent. When she brought Kylie’s lunch to her, Dr. Evans would occasionally take the opportunity to give her some information about the particular object she was working on at the time. Other than that, LJ’s usual cool and distant personality stopped Kylie from trying to speak with her.
She recalled trying to engage LJ in conversation the day after eating outside with the other employees. As always, she was friendly and respectful when she asked where LJ had gone to school. LJ only shook her head before turning and walking away. After that, Kylie kept her replies to yes, no, and okay, keeping her focus on her job and not her boss. She finally accepted that LJ Evans was never going to be anything more than what she was—tight-lipped.
It was now Friday, and the week had gone by quickly now Kylie had found a rhythm to her work. While waiting to hear the familiar footsteps enter the room, she thought about the upcoming evening with her friends. While she was married, her friends had often asked her to go on a girls-only night out, but Ted always came up with a reason for her not to join them. Now that he was gone, she realized how much she’d given up, and the irritation she should have felt back then bubbled up now. “What a fool I was,” she mumbled.
“What did you say?”
Kylie looked up to see LJ’s blue eyes gazing at her in question. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
“Obviously.” LJ sat the now-familiar lunch sack on a stool before walking around the table. “Any problems?”
“Everything today seems straightforward.”
LJ picked up one of the artifacts and inspected it. “I see you made some progress.”
“I did. As you can see, that piece”—she pointed to on the one in LJ’s hand—“is a vase. It was so exciting when I put the last piece in place and found that it was all there. Does that happen often?”
“It depends on the site and whether it was looted or the elements and time took a toll. I remember one place where everything we found was in pristine condition.” LJ shrugged. “That is the exception rather than the rule.”
“That must have been so exciting for you.”
LJ bent slightly to look at the pottery. “There’s that glyph again.”
“Is it significant?”
“To the Wari’ it was. It is the Staff Deity, a god associated with the sun, which they worshiped. This one is holding a staff in each hand, which is normal for this figure. What isn’t normal is the sun above the image. The ones we’ve found have a sun around their heads. ” She raised her eyebrows. “I’ve never seen it depicted like that before.”
Kylie smiled at her. This was the first time LJ had had a meaningful conversation with her. “That is incredibly interesting. Should I expect to find the Staff Deity again?”
“Yes. They used it on their pottery and textiles.”
Kylie moved
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